


brighter than the sun (my love for you is unlimited)

by RosePetalsAndRain



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Buckle up, Christmas, Christmas Eve magic, Eventual Fluff, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff and Crack, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romance, Slow Burn, Tattoo parlours and suit shops, background hyunsung, it gets so sappy yall, ok no more spoilers, strangers to friends to lovers really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:22:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosePetalsAndRain/pseuds/RosePetalsAndRain
Summary: “Hello. I’m afraid the microwave in our shop is broken, I was wondering if we could possibly use yours for the time being,” the words spoken are well-pronounced and sound steady, a sign of confidence. Seungmin smiles easily as a bargain begins to bloom between them.“Let’s make a deal,” he speaks just as steadily, eyes lighting up in an almost dark way as he places his forearms on the counter, leaning over. “We’ll let you use our microwave if you let us use your bathroom. We know your fancy shop has one and the communal bathrooms are a five-minute trek away.”-----Wherein two shops in London make a deal to use each other's facilities. Will this end as a simply professional exchange, or will Kim Seungmin and Seo Changbin get more than they bargained for?**lightly inspired by a tumblr post I saw once**
Relationships: Kim Seungmin/Seo Changbin
Comments: 15
Kudos: 82





	brighter than the sun (my love for you is unlimited)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onhos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onhos/gifts).



> FOR GIAAAA<33 I LOVE U SO MUCH I HOPE U ENJOY
> 
> also the prompt i used for this was inspired by a tumblr post by @// orarewedancy. I don't know how to hyperlink on here but here's the link to the post: https://everybodygotawaterbuffalo.tumblr.com/post/168521239877/so-i-work-at-a-video-game-store-in-a-mall-and !! due credit for the prompt idea goes to them!

Blowing his freshly-bleached hair out of his eyes, Kim Seungmin walks through the incredibly vast shopping centre that has become his second home since starting work at the tattoo parlour there - dating back to almost five years ago. His oversized, black jacket (denim, not leather: leather had always felt too tight and restricting to him) could look intimidating to some, if not for the copious amount of brightly coloured paint splatters decorating it in a way that  _ looks _ deliberate, but was, more times than not, the result of happy accidents. A striking contrast of vibrance on black, almost like his own personality peeks right through the fabric. 

He secretly prefers it that way, anyway. He  _ knows _ his dark aesthetic and job usually gets him mistaken for somebody intimidating and brazen. 

Smiling at the now-familiar fellow shopworkers he walks past, looking into individual shops and waving at staff who happen to look his way as he walks, his mind swims with this afternoon’s appointments and works he has yet to complete. 

Five years ago, when Seungmin had first started working in the shopping centre; the tattoo shop named  _ The Ink Compass _ had at first simply gained a new employee. Being a small business in comparison to some of the well-known brand chains also included in the shopping centre, but the field of work needing people specifically trained to tattoo people, the shop had only two people working there, discounting the shop owner and manager, Chan. Since then, the shop had gained two new employees, Seungmin himself and a hyperactive specimen named Jisung, who only ever seemed to  _ stop _ moving when focusing on inking his clients with the best tattoos on offer. 

Since their joining, the shop has also gained considerable traction in the popularity department due to Seungmin’s knowledge on advertising within retail, and his personal Instagram account alone -- dedicated to posting his own original tattoo designs -- has a considerable few thousand followers, too. They’re doing better than ever - and Seungmin loves every single second of it. 

Despite his social media following promoting the tangible chance of taking his talents elsewhere and developing them into something that could possibly even gain him  _ fame _ \- and lord knows he’d be able to make a name for himself in the wider world of art and creation, too - Seungmin is happy with his modest work as a local tattoo artist in his London-based shopping centre, never thinking to develop his art any higher into the world and simply being happy with his life as is. 

After all, he has a life full of friends, treasured memories and an employment happier than he ever would have expected to land in adult life; not to mention truckloads of laughter and treasured memories. With such a lucky place in life, Seungmin could never even  _ think _ to ask for more, and why would he? It’s such an incredibly rare thing, to be so happy in one’s job, and he could not be more grateful for it. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


And then, there is Seo Changbin. Coming from a rather prestigious family, he had grown up surrounded by riches and airs and graces and rather...  _ fake _ people in high society. Wanting freedom whilst simultaneously fighting the urge to completely break free of the clutches his family’s societal position had on him - as he  _ did _ still love his parents - he had dared to climb down the social ladder a little and settled for a job in a prestigious suit shop in one of London’s best-known shopping malls. It had taken a little bit of a toll on his father, who had at first been outraged that Changbin wasn’t at  _ least  _ aiming to own a small business by the time he was twenty-five, but his mother had stepped in, much to Changbin’s relief, and helped diffuse the situation.

So Changbin, suited up in his absolute best and most expensive every day, would help rich men find suits for big events and parties. Most of the men who came in were very snobbish, but treated Changbin with respect because of his own fine suits and posh mannerisms. The highlight of Changbin’s day, however, would be taking his lunch break in various food restaurants in the shopping centre, keeping his eyes wide open and mind well alert to catch a glimpse of the blond beauty that worked at the tattoo shop opposite. 

Until one day, fate decided to unite the two, and save Changbin from a lifetime of scanning the building every day for a singular glimpse of the mysterious tattoo artist he so admires.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

“Changbin, our microwave is broken,” Felix, his co-worker, clad in a white blouse and fitted blazer approached him in the back staffroom with a tub of home-bought food in his hands. “The shops next door both ways don’t have microwaves that we could ask to use… could you perhaps go and ask the tattoo shop a few doors down and microwave my food for me? I have to go and wait for my friend who’s on the ground floor so I don’t have time to microwave this,” he said in one impressive breath, pushing his tub into Changbin’s hands and leaving no room for argument. “I gotta go, be back in five!” 

Changbin scoffed, chuckling at his tornado of a colleague. Why couldn’t he just go and get his friend, then come back and fetch the food and take his friend with him to ask to use the tattoo shop’s microwave? He had no idea… but this way, maybe he’d get to talk to the cute blond guy he’d been ogling all this time. 

Squaring his shoulders and taking a deep breath, Changbin tightens his grip on the glass container of food and stalks out of the shop, making a direct beeline to the tattoo shop. 

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

“BITCH, give me back my SOCK!” Seungmin yells, exasperation bright on his face as he sprinted at Jisung, in their own back-room of the tattoo shop. Seungmin had kicked off his shoes for the sake of comfort - Converse trainers are hard to wear in at first and his heels were beginning to blister - and Jisung had swooped in out of nowhere, swiped a sock clean off his foot and had taken to running away with it, giggling loudly. 

“My sock now,” he cackles, throwing it into the air and catching it deftly as he threatens to run back into the main tattoo shop with it. 

“If you run back in there with my sock and have me sprint after you I will not hesitate to break into your house and lick your pet lizard,” Seungmin screeches, glasses threatening to slip down his face and already fogged up from his running. 

Hyunjin, another coworker and (conveniently) Jisung’s boyfriend, was peacefully lounging on a sofa in the middle of the chaos, eating a Pot Noodle like nothing was happening. “Do it Seungmin, lizards have a very satisfying texture.”

Both friends freeze mid-catfight, turning to look at him in silence. “Hyunjin, how many lizards have you licked in your lifetime?” Seungmin asks, eyes teeming with disbelief.

“Just one. 11/10 experience though, would recommend.” 

Jisung, taking advantage of Seungmin’s momentary distraction, opens the door to the staffroom and throws the sock away, collapsing in laughter when Seungmin hears the door opening a second too late and is too slow to stop him. “G-go get your s-s-ock, foot boy,” he cries, unable to form proper words. This sends Hyunjin into a fit of laughter too, and Seungmin pretends to grumble as he sheepishly walks back into the shop, raising his hands innocently at the shop owner, Chan. 

“Wasn’t me this time, believe it or not. Oh, hello.” Stopping dead in his tracks at the presence of a-  _ very _ hot raven-haired man standing in the entrance of the shop looking a little lost and holding a glass container, Seungmin waves cheerfully; pretends he doesn’t have one sock on, and the other foot bare. “How can we help you?” 

“Hello. I’m afraid the microwave in our shop is broken, I was wondering if we could possibly use yours for the time being,” the words spoken are well-pronounced and sound steady, a sign of confidence. Seungmin smiles easily as Chan takes the wheel. 

“Let’s make a deal,” he speaks just as steadily, eyes lighting up in an almost dark way as he places his forearms on the counter, leaning over. “We’ll let you use our microwave if you let us use your bathroom. We know your fancy shop has one and the communal bathrooms are a five-minute trek away.” 

The raven-haired man blinks, obviously taken aback. “Well, I would certainly have to check with my boss, but I should think it would be fine, yes.” 

“Deal. Seungmin, show him to the microwave.”

“Sure thing, Chan,” Seungmin grabs his sock from where it had landed on the floor next to a tattooing station and slips it back onto his foot before holding a hand out to the stranger. “Hi, I’m Seungmin.”

“Seo Changbin, it’s a pleasure,” the man- Changbin- shakes his hand, eyes sparkling with amusement as Seungmin turns away to walk to the staffroom. “May i question why you’re without shoes and  _ were _ without one sock?”

“My co-workers bully me,” Seungmin replies easily. “There they are. Bullies.” he opens the door and holds it there, motioning for Changbin to enter first. “This is Jisung, and Hyunjin. Jisung takes my belongings for fun, and they get crazier each day.” 

“Changbin,” Changbin introduces himself, smiling politely. “I’ve come to use your microwave.” He takes careful note of both men: Jisung, with his thick, metal blue hair, ripped jeans and patterned, purple shirt that ripples like water; arms decorated with numerous bracelets and delicate tattoos whilst his fingers shine with rings. And Hyunjin- Changbin thinks he remembered his name correctly- with his honey skin, unripped jeans and long, braided hair, eating a pot noodle with chopsticks and quietly laughing at Jisung doing little dances across the room.

They’re clearly an eccentric bunch, Changbin can tell that much already.

“Careful where you put your food, Jisung will steal it. He’s an actual magpie, I swear,” Seungmin warns, popping the microwave open for him with a welcoming smile before walking over to the sofas, patting the space next to him after shoving Jisung along with his butt to make room. “Come - sit and chat whilst you wait for your food to heat up.”

Changbin gratefully takes the offer, knowing he would have stood a little awkwardly by the microwave, in complete silence, if no one had said anything. 

“So where do you work?” Hyunjin asks after a few seconds of silence. He hates awkward silences. 

“Just in the shop opposite,” Changbin replies smoothly, internally thanking his upbringing for at least giving him the ability to talk without stuttering over his words when things get awkward or difficult. 

“Oh, that posh-ass shop that sells suits? I can’t even pronounce the name,” Hyunjin chuckles. “How’s that going?”

“It’s… agreeable, for the most part” Changbin muses, earning a snicker from Seungmin and Jisung. “The people who come in can be real pricks, though, sometimes. Really snobby.” 

Jisung unwraps a sandwich from its foil confines, tearing it in half and handing one half to Hyunjin, who doesn’t even look at it before eating it whole. “That’s an advantage we have here. Not many high-up people, so to say -- posh people, I mean -- would ever come in here asking for tattoos. Our customers are usually talkative and friendly.” 

“That sounds great,” Changbin feels himself beginning to relax into the sofa, grateful for the accommodating atmosphere and willing conversation. This feels safe, welcoming; he’s only been here a few minutes, yet nothing feels forced. It’s refreshing. “I wish my customers could be a little more talkative sometimes. They just like to give orders. Although sometimes we get more ordinary people coming in, for weddings instead of rich-people parties. They’re always the nicest by far. I love talking to those people.”

Unbeknownst to the blond, Seungmin was on a mission of sneaking glances at him from where he sits beside Changbin- not  _ staring _ because Jisung would  _ definitely _ notice, if not Changbin himself- and  _ damn _ , if this man isn’t hot as  _ fuck… _

_ Ping! _

“Weyy, your food’s done, mate,” Hyunjin says happily. “Food time.” 

“Oh, it’s my colleague’s food,” Changbin explains, getting the feeling that Hyunjin may try to swipe some, heeding Jisung’s earlier warning. “He wanted me to heat it up whilst he went to run an errand - so I’ll get going, now.”

“So soon,” Jisung comments, and his voice reflects the slight disappointment resounding within Seungmin’s chest at the words. 

“Yeah… but thank you for letting me use your microwave! Perhaps now we have one to use, I’ll be around here more often with my own food,” Changbin quips. “And your colleague outside made a deal with me, so in exchange you guys can come and use our bathrooms, too.” 

“ _ Fuck yes _ ,” Hyunjin all but moans, throwing his hands up in the air, eyes squeezed shut with glee. “No more treks around half the centre to get to the damn toilets!” 

“Indeed,” Changbin says, and Seungmin catches his gaze, eyes sparkling. “I’ll be off now - see you guys… soon, I guess?” 

“Yeah, definitely!” Jisung agrees, and then Changbin is leaving, shutting the door quietly behind him. The room is silent for one second, two seconds, before Hyunjin speaks up again. 

“He seems great. Way to make an impression, sock boy.” He cackles as Seungmin scowls, threatening to throw his shoe at him if he doesn’t behave. 

None of them need a soothsayer to know that they’ll be seeing quite a lot of Changbin and his colleagues in the future. 

  
  


✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

“Oh! Changbin, thank you so much,” Felix bustles back into the shop, his friend waiting patiently next to the entrance. “I’ll take it, the tattoo shop employees let you use the microwave?”

“Yeah, in exchange for them being able to use our bathrooms.”

Felix’s face darkens. “Do you think our boss will allow that?” The store’s manager and boss, a strict middle-aged man named Jinyoung, was unlikely to make any form of alliance with any unbranded stores, no matter the reason. He belongs to the line of boomers who feel entitled to their wealth and look down on those without visible signs of their own, and however well the tattoo shop is doing and climbing in popularity, both Changbin and Felix had heard a sizeable amount of comments on how “vulgar” their boss finds tattoos. 

“He’ll have to, or else I will email the head of departments telling them that our boss won’t let us access the necessary equipment needed to heat up our food, leaving us with no lunch breaks,” Changbin grins lightly and Felix’s smile blooms like a rose in summer, giggling brightly. 

“You sneaky genius.”

“That’s what I’m here for. Annoying boomers is what I do,” Changbin spreads his hands wide, and glances over to the door, where Felix’s friend still waits, patient as ever. “Your friend is waiting, though.” 

“Not for long,” Felix grits his teeth and tightens his grip on his food, walking towards his catlike friend with a new sense of determination radiating from him like a forcefield. Changbin blinks, confused. _Just_ _which part in particular was he referencing to?_

Anyway. Changbin’s lunch break started earlier than Felix’s, meaning that now, he has to get back to work. Walking back into the break room to grab his staff lanyard, he prepares himself for the rest of the day’s appointments he’s been assigned to, and squares his shoulders, ready for the onslaught of haughty gentlemen and snobby wives about to enter into the shop. 

He’s got this. 

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

“He was kinda hot, I won’t lie,” Jisung laments aloud once everyone has finished their lunch break and are back in the main studio, waiting for next appointments and potential customers to begin filing in again. “I do like a man in a suit.” 

At this, Hyunjin snorts, and plonks himself down in front of the younger, whose head is in his hands. “Too bad  _ I _ don’t wear one.” 

“Move one inch closer to each other and I’ll fire you myself,” Seungmin complains, but there’s no bite between his words, happy to see his friends happy. 

“I know you love a man in a suit  _ far _ more than I do, Seungmin,” Jisung redirects his attention to the complaint himself, and wiggles his eyebrows in a manner  _ far _ too suggestive for Seungmin’s liking. “And it looks like we’ll be seeing more of him in the future, too… All I’m saying is that-”

“Say one more  _ word _ and I’ll fire you myself,” Seungmin tweaks his earlier statement, biting back an amused grin and playing irritated. Jisung must glimpse the mirth in his eyes, however, and giggles, pushing himself forward out of his chair so that he’s sprawled over the table ungracefully, bracelets clinking against each other. “Say, Seungmin… you’ve been single for a while, huh?” 

Seungmin barks out a surprised laugh, and looks down at the tattoo design he’s currently working on. It’s done with black fineliner; an intricate form of two hearts; one messy and one satisfyingly tidy; intertwining together with each circle making the individual shapes up bleeding into one another. He’ll add colour soon; have two complementary colours bleed into the same colour where the two hearts meet. Or maybe he’ll go a little more modern, and customise them according to pride flags. The possibilities are vast and endless. 

“I have, yes.”

“All I’m saying is--” Jisung’s words are, thankfully, cut off by Chan walking back into the room, clapping his hands together loudly to introduce his announcement that they have two more appointments booked in than they originally had been told about. After that, there’s less chatter and much more work, as clients begin to come in and out of the studio, with one or more of the shop’s employees always being occupied with tattooing somebody for the rest of the day. 

In spite of the business, Seungmin counts it as a huge blessing: both for the company’s profit, and also for the fact that their earlier discussion wasn’t touched upon again for the rest of the day. 

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

“Greetings,” Jisung grins as he walks into the suit shop - admittedly, he hadn’t known the name of it even after his years working in the shopping centre, mostly because he isn’t really a  _ tuxedo _ type of guy and so had no reason to know the shop name. However, after a good week of making countless trips to and fro in between the two shops, he’s quickly come to memorise the name:  _ Tailcoats Ltd _ . A rather  _ bland _ name, in Jisung’s oh-so humble opinion - but he’ll keep that to himself. “I have arrived once more to make use of your facilities.”

Felix snorts, being the only employee not occupied with a customer at the minute. “And shall I give you a top hat and cigar to go with your fancy wording, my good sir?” 

“Ah, no. Not unless you want Seungmin to drip paint all over it,” Jisung cackles, and hot-foots it through the shop, lest he get stared or glared at by the manager or another high-end customer for his decidedly less than formal attire. Jeans with more holes than denim are a  _ fashion statement,  _ dammit! “Thank you again!” he yells through the store once making it to the back, defeating his prior motive using only his impressive set of lungs, and Felix’s giggles echo throughout the store as he disappears into the back room. 

“You know, Seungmin hasn’t been coming in here all that much,” Felix comments to Changbin as the elder comes to stand next to him after finally ridding himself from yet another impolite customer. He knows the rules -  _ the customer is always right, blah blah blah -  _ but really, the urge to slap some sense into such haughty people is always so  _ tempting _ . 

“Maybe he just doesn’t drink as much as Jisung does,” he replied offhandedly, already checking the clock for his lunch break. After three days of missing the  _ Ink Compass _ employees’ lunch breaks, he had (embarrassingly) begged Felix to switch lunch breaks with him, so that he could sit in the back room of the tattoo shop with his newfound friends instead of being lonely in the back of  _ Tailcoats Ltd _ . Felix had agreed with little coercing, apart from his loud laughter at the elder’s apparent desperation. He’d made Changbin promise to bring him coffee every Monday in exchange for it, though; ever the opportunist - and besides, who  _ doesn’t _ need a sweet dose of caffeine to start the week off with? The clock reads fifteen minutes to the hour, and he sighs impatiently, shifting from foot to foot as if it will make the minute hand move any faster.

“Impatient, I see,” Felix pretends to observe, as if he couldn’t sense Changbin’s energy from across the shop floor. “This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with a certain blond-haired tattoo artist, would it?” 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Changbin mutters, and Jisung emerges from the back, hair as unkempt as always and grin twice as bright. 

“Thanks, again! See you in a bit, Bin. Have fun, Felixie!” 

“They’re so friendly all the time. What a breath of fresh air,” Felix says, and Changbin nods beside him. 

“Yeah.”

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

Three weeks later, and each employee is as comfortable with each other’s workplace as if they’d worked there for years themselves. Changbin all but sprints from his own workplace into  _ Ink Compass _ every lunch break, and feels no more hesitancy about throwing himself into the nearest chair once his food is in the microwave - a poorly masked excuse to visit, but at least it had him in the habit of cooking every night to supply himself with  _ actual food _ to eat for lunch - and the act of complaining about recent customers, or blurting out a random thought he’d had during the day that he’d been unable to vocalise for the sake of professionalism, is a relief he never knew he’d actually needed before this.

It’s a stark contrast to the first week of acquaintance with the tattoo shop, when he’d stay only long enough to use their microwave before leaving again out of fear of overstaying any welcomes.

“Okay, but just listen. I  _ know _ it’s not necessarily biologically logical, but hear me out. Male spiders get eaten after sex. Does that give lesbian spiders a get-out-of-jail-free card?”

Jisung barely bats an eyelid, whilst Hyunjin stares, before sputtering into loud guffaws. Seungmin, however, having entered the room right in time to hear Changbin’s…  _ imaginative _ question, takes a more gentle route of sitting down than the elder had as he stirs his pot noodle in small circles. 

“I mean, maybe? Because the females eat the males to get the protein and stuff to grow and sustain a baby, right? Or am I wrong? But if the females can’t impregnate each other, then that would eliminate the need to eat each other.” 

“Damn, you’re  _ right _ ,” Changbin exclaims, spinning around in his feet to face Seungmin, who is  _ covered _ in paint from a recent artistic experiment regarding new tattoo designs and a whole lot of acrylic paint. “I did not know it was humanly possible to have so much paint on yourself.” 

“This is a  _ good day _ ,” Hyunjin emphasises. “Just wait until you see him after a bigger experiment.” 

“This is a  _ small amount?” _ Changbin’s eyes grow wide in horror. “My boss would murder me, no questions asked.”

“Then I’m glad I don’t work in a fancy tuxedo shop, then,” Seungmin’s eyes shine with good humour. “I’d hate to accidentally touch a suit and ruin it.”

Something clicks within Changin’s head. “Is that why we hardly ever see you in  _ Tailcoats _ , despite our agreement?” 

In the background, Jisung mutters something that Changbin can’t hear it, but he doesn’t press to hear it again, his full attention on Seungmin, rocking in his seat as he awaits a reply like it would give him the answers to the secrets of the universe. 

“Yeah,” is all Seungmin says in reply, voice airy, and Changbin is outraged. 

“Because you don’t wanna get paint on the suits? Seungmin, I am  _ begging _ you to come and get paint on the suits. It’ll make shop life so much more interesting,” he beseeches, eyes wide and fake  _ aeygo _ turned on to the max. “I won’t have to iron as many suits if they’re all paint-y and need to be thrown out!”

“Oh god, fine, I’ll come if you stop doing  _ that _ ,” Seungmin bats Changbin’s bug-eyed expression out of his face, bringing his fork to his mouth, full of steaming noodles. 

And something about the way Changbin smiles after that, and sits back with one leg brought up over the other, arms crossed and looking very pleased with himself, makes Seungmin’s heart do a little flip. 

\-------

True to his word, Seungmin starts coming into Changbin’s workplace a little more often after that, always covered in a huge, oversized shirt (that is still admittedly covered in paint, but it appears dry) and always manages to find Changbin’s gaze across the store, exchanging small, private smiles before Seungmin would disappear into the back room, reemerging after a minute and leaving again.

He never attempts to make conversation, although Changbin suspects it to be more out of professional respect for their working environment than anything else, judging by the informal way Seungmin treats him during their lunch breaks. Somehow, the two have grown a little closer than anyone else in  _ Ink Compass _ , and it’s a fact that Changbin secretly treasures. 

He brings up Seungmin’s silence one lunch break, acting mock-hurt for some sympathy. 

“ _ Seungminnie, _ ” he whines, and Seungmin huffs, eyes already rolling in fake annoyance. “You never greet poor little me when you come into our shop before our lunch break. JIsungie always comes and chats~” he implores, eyes huge and as sad as he can humanly attempt. 

“ _ Changbinnie, _ ” Seungmin fires back, “Jisungie is unprofessional and shouldn’t be distracting you during work hours.” 

“But I  _ like _ talking to you guys! Friendship shouldn’t be a professional agreement,” Changbin tries to argue. “I like it when you smile across the store at me, it makes my day.” He’s getting bold today, it seems. “But you know what would be even better?” - Amusement is beginning to leak through Seungmin’s annoyed facade - “If you came and said hi.” 

“Is that so?” Seungmin teases, looking away when their eye contact becomes too intense, much to Changbin’s palpable disappointment. “Perhaps I’ll think about it.” 

“Well, that’s certainly a step forward from nothing,” Changbin replies, and looks away, scanning across the room as he takes a bite of his food, triumphant at his progress. 

“Stop staring, Seungmin, it’s disgusting,” Hyunjin complains from across the room, voice high-pitched and whiny, and when Changbin’s head snaps towards Seungmin to spot  _ who _ he was staring at, all he sees is Seungmin’s chocolate gaze turned down towards the floor, a strawberry blush coating his cheeks and ears. 

Changbin wants to reach across and caress that pretty blush away. 

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

It’s a Thursday, which in Changbin’s opinion is the worst day of the week. You’re so close to the weekend, yet  _ so, so far _ , and all he wants is for Friday to roll around so that he has the weekend to latch his fingers into and pull his way through. 

It doesn’t help that he’s being made to deal with a particularly snappy customer, who’s snubbing Changbin’s every suggestion and attempts to help aid them in getting fitted for a wedding suit. 

“Sir, you said that you were looking for a  _ grey _ suit to compliment the rest of the groomsmen,” Changbin is arguing, feeling more like he’s talking to a lump of lead than a real, interactive human. “We have this navy blue suit, identical down to the last button, in grey, which you said you were here for.”  _ Respect wedding etiquette, man! If you’re a groomsman you’ve gotta dress like the rest of them, too. _

“Did I ask for your opinion?” Changbin’s customer snarks, and continues adjusting the sleeves and collar of the very  _ blue _ suit in the shop mirror. They’re occupying the changing rooms and adjacent mirrors neighbouring the staffroom, and Changbin can faintly hear Felix talking with another employee through the walls. Oh, how he envies them.

“Well, at first sir, yes-”

“One more word and I’ll be speaking to your  _ manager, _ boy,” the customer sneers, and Changbin silences himself, pushing down the anger that bubbles up within him at the loaded threat. Oh, how he hates working in retail. 

“Excuse me?” A soft voice interrupts the two, and instantly Changbin feels lighter at the sight of Seungmin, in all of his inky, paint-splattered glory, a lovely streak of blue decorating the right side of his face. Changbin wants to ask whether it was an accident of Seungmin himself, or if Jisung or Hyunjin had seized a brush and attacked, but now is not the time nor place. 

“Hey, Minnie. It’s right through there,” Changbin points to the staffroom, knowing full well that Seungmin won’t have forgotten. He can’t imagine any other reason for Seungmin’s interrupting, though, and so reverts to automatic. 

“Oh, I’m not here for that just yet. I was addressing your customer here,” Seungmin speaks sweetly, but his voice is laced with menace that makes chills run down Changbin’s spine. He represses a shiver. 

The customer, clearly not recognising Seungmin at all, stares blankly. 

“Oh yes, you, sir. I couldn’t help but overhear your mistreatment of this employee here, and was wondering whether you knew of my relations to the manager. I could get your membership evoked with the snap of my fingers with both my witness to your treatment of him and my connections,” Seungmin carries on, and Changbin’s jaw drops. 

Where’s this assertiveness coming from all of a sudden? And why does he find it kind of hot?

“Changbin here is being polite, and doing his job perfectly to a T, being a model employee, and here you are, taking advantage of his expert opinions and help to focus on your own selfish need to outshine others in a wedding party that is not your own, am I correct?” 

\-- Seungmin doesn’t allow the man any time to open his mouth before he carries on, not to mention  _ how he’s looking so damn scary when he’s got literal sky-blue paint streaked across his face? --  _

“ _ And _ this level of disrespect and even borderline  _ threat _ violates the store’s customer policy. So unless  _ you _ would like to be reported to the manager of this store, I suggest you respect its employees. Thank you.” 

Without another word, but sparing a small smirk for Changbin, Seungmin walks away into the back room, leaving a cold silence hanging over the customer like a dark cloud, and a warm, fuzzy feeling fizzing in Changbin’s chest, having completely replaced any residual anger. Nobody had ever stood up for him in a work setting before - it was just kind of  _ accepted _ that customers are assholes sometimes, especially in more expensive settings. And over such a small issue, too… 

_ Yes _ , Changbin decides,  _ Seungmin visiting their store outside of lunchbreak hours has definitely become the highlight of his day. _

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

Weeks bleed into months, and it’s Christmas season already; shops and buildings alike are full of tinsel and festive lights to show customers the festive spirit and trick them into wanting to spend more money due to the generosity of the season. Even the prestigious  _ Tailcoats Ltd _ have stocked up on their fair share of tinsel lining their shop entrance, complete with Christmas music playing from a Christmas radio over the speakers hanging from the ceiling. 

_ Ink Compass _ , on the other hand, is positively  _ teeming  _ with festivity: tinsel winds up the legs of every table, chair and tattoo bed in the shop; the entrance lined with the steady glow of lights alternating between red, yellow, blue and green. Chan bought an  _ elf on the shelf _ a few days before December started, and Hyunjin in particular is having the time of his life hiding it in more and more obscure places every day. 

Yesterday he emptied out Jisung’s plastic container containing his lunch that he kept in the fridge, and the sound of confused screaming from the break room at exactly 11:02 has still never left anybody’s minds. But Hyunjin got a  _ huge _ laugh out of it, so it was definitely worth it, even if everyone else had been mildly concerned until Jisung had stormed back into the main shop, clutching the elf and screaming bloody murder at his boyfriend. 

Today, Jisung has kept an  _ extra _ firm eye on Hyunjin, making sure he doesn’t sneak away to pull another sneaky on anyone. 

The door chimes as somebody pushes the glasswork open, and nobody looks up from their intense staring contest they’ve somehow found themselves in - how does a staring contest between four people work, anyway? - and, with his best customer service voice, Seungmin decides he’ll be the one to speak up this time, as nobody else had moved an inch. 

“Hello, welcome to  _ Ink Compa-” _

“You will not  _ believe _ the morning I’ve had,” Seo Changbin himself storms into the shop, seething with anger and fire as he closes the door behind him, eyes flitting about the room as if he couldn’t focus on one thing at all. 

“Uh-”

“Have I ever mentioned I  _ hate _ prickish customers? Like, really hate them,” Changbin carries on, not noticing that three out of four people were still caught up in their staring contest. “Why is it that high-end customers are such assholes?”

“I don’t kn-- HA, KIM SEUNGMIN! You lose, you looked away,” Jisung crows, throwing his hands up in the air in glee. 

Changbin blinks. “Am I missing something?”

“You just made Seungmin lose our staring contest,” Hyunjin sniggers. “But do go on. What’s the deal with the customer?”   
  


Visibly deflating, Changbin drags himself over to a seat and drops down as if his bones weigh thrice as much as they should. “It’s of little matter, really. I was just frustrated with the audacity of some people and came here.” 

He doesn’t address anybody in particular when he says those words, but Seungmin feels warmth bloom in his chest regardless, feeling as if the words were still directed at him. 

“Well, you’re always welcome here -- but won’t your boss have something to say about you storming off over here all of a sudden?” Chan interjects, concerned. Changbin shrugs, nonchalant. 

“It’s the same as going into the break room, right? Besides, he wasn’t in the shop as I left. For all he knows, I’m just hidden  _ really _ well within the tie section.”

Chuckles fill the room, and Seungmin stands up, mumbling something about needing a drink before going into the back room, looking around for a clean glass. 

There aren’t any - curse both himself and his co-workers for being so forgetful in terms of washing up - so he grabs a dirty one from next to the sink and begins rinsing it out, grabbing the dish soap and sponge laying next to the sink because there is  _ no  _ way of telling who last used that glass, and simply rinsing will  _ not _ suffice. 

“Seungmin?” 

It’s Changbin. The air instantly changes around them, feeling charged and thick, but not necessarily in a sexual-tension type of way. It’s charged, sure, but despite it all it’s comfortable. It feels like essential oils have suddenly been diffused into the air, leaving Seungmin gasping for more, chasing the scent and basking in the calm feeling it brings. 

“Hey, Bin. How come you’re back here?” 

Changbin shifts from foot to foot, a confident man suddenly reduced to a small, if not hesitant, presence. “I… Well, this will sound stupid, but I wanted to come and talk to you for a minute before I have to go back. Your company is calming.” 

“Oh.” Glass forgotten, Seungmin turns off the tap and wipes his hands dry on the dishcloth discarded next to the microwave. “By all means, you know you can always come to me.”  _ For anything, anytime. _ Sitting down on the worn couch, he pats the space next to him in a manner not unlike the first time they met, and Changbin’s small smile tells him that he’s reminded of the same thing. 

“So, shitty customers aside, how’s work going?” Seungmin asks, and suddenly Changbin whips around to look at him, staring him right in the eyes with intense focus, and the undivided attention that’s suddenly  _ all for Seungmin _ has him reeling, feeling like he’s freefalling despite the fact that he’s sitting down. 

“I don’t want to talk about work right now. How are  _ you _ ? And not just in your job, just… how are you in  _ general _ ? I want to know more than just your most recent tattoo designs.” 

Seungmin holds back a gasp, unsure as to why he wants to gasp in the first place. This is normal, right? Just two friends through work wanting to become closer, perhaps lose the label of  _ fellow employees in the same shopping centre _ . 

But if so, then why does the prospect make his heart hammer so in his chest?

“I’m… good. I’m good, thank you. My sister had a baby recently,” Seungmin says slowly, and the growing smile on Changbin’s face as he relaxes into the back of the sofa encourages him to say more, a gentle coaxing of happiness,  _ go on, you’re doing well _ . “Don’t tell anyone, because this is  _ top secret _ , but - this Christmas coming, Hyunjin’s planning to-” he checks behind Changbin just in case anybody had snuck in without their notice before leaning in close and whispering softly, “ _ propose to Jisung. _ ”

“No  _ way _ !” Changbin positively  _ beams _ , and  _ oh, _ that smile does things to Seungmin’s heart if nothing else ever had done before. “That’s amazing. Wait - hang on.” digging his phone out of his back pocket, he opens his contacts list and hands a blank screen to Seungmin, almost shyly, cheeks just slightly pink-tinted. 

“We could swap numbers, maybe? You can tell me when it happens and what the answer is.” 

_ Smooth _ . 

“Of course.” Entering his contact details, Seungmin sends his own phone a message before handing the device back to Changbin, a secret smile shared between the two of them doing nothing to alleviate the jolt of electricity felt when their fingers brush together. “Perhaps you could text me, too, about your own Christmas plans.” 

Changbin fake-gags. “Christmas, for me, is just another time I have to wear a suit for and act like I’m not bored out of my mind. I know I’m my own person, but Christmas is the one time I can’t bring myself to say no to my family, and always end up being dragged to galas and formal meals and dances. It’s fun some of the time, but, having no-one to  _ bring _ …” he tails off purposefully, eyes trained on Seungmin for any glimpse of change within his demeanour. “What are your Christmas plans, Minnie?” 

“Me? Oh, this year I was going to visit my sister, most likely. These last few Christmases I’ve spent with Jisung, but this year he’s being whisked away by Hyunjin on a romantic getaway, and so… yeah, bothering my sister and her baby sounds like a good idea.” 

Sighing wistfully Changbin nods. “It must be nice, to simply be allowed to exist with your family, with no expectations to dress up or act a certain way.” 

“Oh? How do you have to act around them?” 

“Straight,” Changbin deadpans, and Seungmin snorts, suddenly finding his hands  _ very _ interesting indeed. “One of these days I’m gonna drag someone to a gala with me and make out with him right in front of everyone. See how they like it.”

“That’s a good idea,” Seungmin murmurs, sounding quite far away. “Rebel energy, I like it…” 

“Yeah…” Changbin sighs, and then looks at his watch, leaping up from his seat in panic. “Wow. Time flies, I gotta go - thank you for talking, though! I feel amazingly at peace now,” he spares the time to smile genuinely, softly, at the younger, before sprinting from the shop. Seungmin sighs to himself before he gets back up, drink still forgotten as he makes his way back into the main shop. 

“So, like, what happened between you and your lover boy back there?” Chan is fast to jump on the bandwagon, eyes glittering with maniacal glee at the instant blush crawling up Seungmin’s neck at the words. 

“He’s  _ not _ my lover boy, shut up. We just talked about Christmas, that’s all.” 

“Uh huh, and I’m a limited edition packet of M&M’s. I look forward to the announcement of dating that you’ll be coming out with soon, Kim Seungmin!” Jisung quips, and Seungmin counts the other lucky that he doesn’t currently have the energy to stalk over there and deliver a well-placed forehead flick, because after years of practise, his aim and precision are  _ painful _ to endure in more ways than one. 

“If you live long enough to see that announcement then you’ll be congratulating yourself!” Seungmin replies brightly, and Jisung breaks out into nervous laughter, hiding behind Hyunjin who instantly gets up and walks away from Jisung’s arm-length radius. 

“You walked into that one yourself, Hannie!”

  
  


\-------------

After another week of having to gently coerce customers into  _ not _ getting that Christmas tattoo after most past customers having regretted it once summertime rolled around before having to give in and tattoo the damn Christmas trees anyway,  _ Ink Compass _ finally closed for the season, just two days before Christmas Eve. 

Changbin is still working, and has to until late Christmas Eve night - something of which he has voiced  _ many _ complaints about when joining the employees of  _ Ink Compass _ for lunch. 

Bored out of his mind now that the tattoo shop is locked and bolted for the time being, Changbin throws himself onto the hard couch in the staffroom as he takes his cold sandwich out of its foil confines. Call him spoiled, but months of being used to microwave access has this particular lunchbreak feeling very cold and boring. 

Or maybe it’s more than the lack of hot food. He knows damn well he can go and buy food from somewhere else, and people-watch like he used to, but for now, he sits still and quiet as a mouse as he eats, scrolling through his phone with his free hand. 

Right on time, the device buzzes, and the suddenness of it causes Changbin to jump, the phone falling out of his hand and - thankfully - onto the couch next to him. Scrambling to get a hold of it before it bounces onto the ground, the screen lights up with another text message.

**Kim Seungmin:** _so hows the loneliness going without us this fine Christmas Eve ;)_

 **Kim Seungmin:** _it feels so good to be off work, ahhh~_

Grinning at his screen although he’ll never admit it, Changbin stuffs the rest of the sandwich into his mouth to free his other hand for faster replying. 

_ You exist to taunt me huh _

_ I bet you’re feeling my loss so hard rn >:( _

_ You miss me so much i can feel it _

Triumph spreads through Changbin’s veins like lava, tingly for some reason but not altogether  _ bad _ . The way he and Seungmin have been interacting lately, overly friendly conversations teetering on the border of  _ flirty _ , is exhilarating, and Changbin would be lying if he said he’s not been tempted to take it further and be more  _ open _ with his intentions. 

**Kim Seungmin:** _and what if i do miss you?_

**Kim Seungmin:** _ you miss me too. You wouldnt have brought it up if you didnt~ _

Hm. Perhaps Changbin wouldn’t have to worry about crossing some sort of unsaid line after all. 

_ You got me there im afraid _

**Kim Seungmin:** _would be a shame if someone were to show up and cause a commotion soon..._

_ You wouldnt dare. _

Lunch break be damned, Changbin shoves his phone back into his pocket, straightening his suit as he flies out of the break room, eyes frantically scanning the shop to look for a familiar blond head. 

No blond hair, no new customers that he can see. 

“Greetings.” 

A  _ shockingly _ purple-haired Kim Seungmin leans against the wall of the break room, ready to scare Changbin as he emerges - but the shock factor is effectively outweighed by the fact that his hair is  _ purple _ . Like, lavender purple. Perhaps even bordering on a vibrant shade of plum. Has Changbin mentioned that his hair is purple? 

“Your  _ hair- _ ”

“Is purple, yes. When do you leave work?” 

Changbin just stares, mouth hanging open as he takes in  _ purple hair _ . Seungmin rolls his eyes and shoves his hand into Changbin’s mouth, making him cough loudly and break out of his stupor. 

“Your hand is disgusting. It tastes like chemicals.” 

“That was my aim when I applied moisturiser before coming here. I repeat: when do you leave work?” 

“Uh -- a few hours?” Changbin’s shift finishes at seven tonight. “Seven.”

“Seven,” Seungmin repeats, “Nice. Okay, see you at seven!” 

_ What? _ “Wait, Seungmin-”

“Be ready!” Seungmin waves over his shoulder, a wide smile reeking of playfulness tugging at his lips. Even through his confusion, Changbin can’t help but mirror it. 

_ Seven o’clock _ . Changbin just has to get through six entire  _ hours _ of ironing suits and dealing with customers before that time approaches. 

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

The day passes agonisingly slowly after that, and that’s  _ taking away _ the usual Christmas Eve drain. The added unknown element of not knowing what Seungmin meant by  _ be ready _ really had made Changbin check the clock obsessively every thirty seconds, only to sigh in impatient frustration when not even a minute had passed yet. It’s ironic, really; Jisung had once referred to it as  _ Sod’s Law _ , that right when things are looking up, something else happens to make it worse, in this case the excitement making the time drag on like a sack of potatoes being hauled by a puppy. 

Seven o’clock  _ finally _ rolls around after what feels like years of waiting, and Changbin feels like he’s in the last stage of life by now. Hand him a zimmer frame and give him a place in a care home, because let it be known that Seo Changbin has lived a hundred years in the span of six entire hours.

He gathers his belongings and coat from the staffroom, and groans internally when his boss walks in, shaking his hand and thanking him for another years’ worth of work. Changbin can only smile back and answer politely, wishing Jinyoung many happy returns and mentally begging to be set free.

The clock has hit five past by the time he side-steps out of the room, and like a magnet Changbin’s eyes are drawn straight to that fresh head of purple, bold against soft skin and an even softer smile. 

“No more suits until next year!” Seungmin cheers once Changbin is close enough, the younger bundled up in a thick yellow scarf and gloves and looking so  _ cosy _ that Changbin feels warm just looking at him. 

“No more  _ working in a suit shop _ until next year. I have three formal events to attend before the year is over, yet,” Changbin reinstates, and Seungmin groans, slumping forward in pretence before he springs back up, grabbing Changbin’s hand and pulling him out of the store. 

“Come on, no more shopping centre, then. We have places to be,” he announces ominously, and Changbin allows himself a small chuckle. 

“Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see,” is all Seungmin says, tightening his grip on Changbin’s hand, and Changbin snorts loudly. 

“No more foreboding!” he begs, trying not to focus too much on the way his fingers feel so  _ right _ intertwined with Seungmin’s. 

“There’s never enough foreboding in the world.” They cross the threshold out of the shopping centre and a wall of freezing air shocks Changbin to the core, making him gasp a little. 

The world outside the brightly-lit shopping centre is dark, and illuminated by typical shop lights combined with the extra twist of Christmas lights; bright greens and reds and goldens illuminating each LED Christmas tree, fairy light string and reindeer decorating shop windows and lining the streets. Beneath a little canopy of their own, a street vendor sells roasted chestnuts and roasts marshmallows to sell - and  _ oh, _ had everything  _ always _ been so beautiful? 

Changbin- feels utterly awestruck with the sights, from the tips of his toes to the last hair on his head. 

“How do you feel about literature?” Seungmin asks, side-eyeing Changbin, a purple-headed, yellow-scarfed tattoo artist holding hands with a formal, suit-clad, part-time socialite, and for a minute, the contrast of the two makes Changin feel completely breathless. Despite their differences, as he catches sight of them both in a shop window opposite, he’s caught off-guard with how well they complement each other. 

“I love literature. Which era are we referencing here?”

  
  


“Victorian,” Seungmin says shortly, and then he’s walking down the crowded streets, pulling Changbin with him as they weave through other couples and groups of friends, side by side in comfortable silence. They end up running within a few minutes so as to not miss the Tube, but that’s all Changbin gets told after that regarding where Seungmin is taking him, so he stays quiet. If Seungmin wants this to be a surprise then he’ll let it be so, very gladly indeed. 

The Tube is crowded to the point of uncomfortability, as is always the case on occasions such as Christmas, right as you thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse. But for once, neither Seungmin nor Changbin mind, as the squashed-in standing conditions give them leeway to lean against one another and not needing an excuse, for once. 

Their hands stay connected the entire time. 

“Ah, this is us,” Seungmin moves fast, pulling himself and Changbin through the sea of people to stand right by the door - it’s a real hit or miss on the Tube, and once you’ve missed the thirty-second gap of the doors opening you’ll be cut off until the vehicle has made another full circle of its route - and miraculously, they make it off right as the doors are about to close again, leaping onto the platform outside the Tube and laughing with relief as it shoots off again without them. 

Changbin eyes the destination sign on the brick wall next to them -  _ Southwark _ , the sign reads. His brain blanks - he has no idea where they’re headed. 

“Almost there,” Seungmin shrugs, and together they walk out of the underground station and back up into the fresh Christmas air, walking down street after street and turning left, right, right again before -- 

_ The Old Vic. _ Of course - Seungmin had mentioned Victorian literature before. 

“I know we’re here already, but how do you feel about watching a play here? I have tickets right here,” Seungmin pulls two thick slips of paper encased in a thin card from his coat pocket, suddenly looking shy considering his earlier confidence. “I probably shouldn’t have made you come all the way across London before asking, but I wanted to surprise you a little.” 

The sight of Seungmin doubting himself makes Changbin’s heart ache in his chest, and he decides that perhaps it’s his own turn for some bravery and confidence, this time. He can take the lead, too. 

Taking the tickets from Seungmin’s hands and holding them securely in his own, Changbin steps forward and presses a soft kiss to Seungmin’s forehead, letting himself feel the warmth there for a second before he pulls back, smiling widely. 

“Seungmin, I’d love to. You really didn’t have to go out of your way to do all of this - but I’m honoured. Thank you.” 

Flushed from the cold and perhaps from something more, Seungmin shrugs, looking at the theatre in front of them instead of making eye contact with a smirking Changbin. “I would have asked Jisung or Hyunjin, but they’re off and away for Christmas, as you know,” he deflects, but Changbin’s heart warms all the same. 

Neither of them are sure who tightens whose hold on their hands, but they both step forward in unison. “Shall we go in, then?” Changbin asks, and Seungmin nods, finally looking up to make eye contact with the elder. 

“Yes.”

The play they watch is later revealed to be  _ A Christmas Carol _ , the perfect play to watch the night before Christmas itself and remind its audience of the true meaning of Christmas through a gothic, haunting storyline. Changbin notices that the theatre have explored their own storylines through the play too, breathing new life into it, and the play is immensely enjoyable; made even more so by the presence of the man next to him who stays close, switching between holding his hand and leaning close so that their arms brush and they can hear each other’s whispers as the play progresses. 

It’s a strangely intimate feeling, and Changbin hardly wants the play to end due to it. 

During the interval they purchase the signature handheld tubs of icecream to keep themselves cool, for the theatre quickly grows warm under the stage lights and audience presence. Changbin watches fondly as Seungmin babbles about the adaptation of the play so far, clearly excited about the themes they chose to explore through the narrative. 

“It’s unlike any adaptation of the novella I’ve ever seen before,” Seungmin is saying, and Changbin hums, spooning cold strawberry flavoured ice into his mouth as he listens. The ice cream is sweet, but Seungmin is irresistibly saccharine. 

“I only studied the novella in high school; I’m guessing you took it a little further?” Changbin asks when Seungmin takes a break to eat his own ice cream, waiting for Changbin’s own input. 

“Mm - I have a literature degree, actually; I took literature along with fine art at university, but decided to take my art further with tattooing and design. My literature side clearly hasn’t faded, though,” Seungmin laughs, and Changbin laughs with him.

“It’s a beautiful thing, to watch you speak so passionately.”

Seungmin blushes dark, staring down into his ice cream, which by now is half-gone. “Thank you for listening to me talk so passionately.” 

“Your eyes light up so brightly when you’re talking about the things you love, did you know that? Your entire face glows so brightly and it’s like gazing up at the stars… it’s aweing,” Changbin rambles, and he doesn’t realise how red Seungmin turns until the younger has abandoned his ice cream on the armrest of his seat and is covering his face with his hands in embarrassment.

“Hey, don’t hide! I miss your face,” Changbin laughs,  _ where is all of this confidence coming from? _ , and pulls Seungmin’s hands away from his face, encasing them within both of his own and smiling again as Seungmin pouts at him. “There you are.” 

“Would everyone please take your seats again, the second half is about to begin,” a staff member’s voice projects over the hubbub of talking, and everybody obediently quietens down and finds their seats again as the theatre grows dark once more. 

Seungmin doesn’t say anything after that until the end of the play, but the way he holds Changbin’s hand in his lap for the rest of their time watching, his thumb running comfortable patterns over the back of his hand, speaks volumes. 

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

They walk out of The Old Vic with matching smiles and animated discussion, hands swinging between them, and Changbin marvels at how natural so much skinship feels considering how suddenly it's come about.

“Thank you for this, Seungmin,” Changbin says suddenly, looking up at a sky that is devoid of stars due to light pollution, but for once he can’t bring himself to feel disappointed about it, when he has his own ethereal light standing right next to him. “It’s only Christmas Eve, and yet you’ve made this the best Christmas I’ve had in a good many years.” 

“It’s no problem,” Seungmin says back, and his voice has changed; it’s quieter now, and Changbin has to face him, leaning in just a little closer to hear him speak. “I actually had something to ask you, if you’d be so kind as to hear me out.” 

“Always,” Changbin leads them over to a deserted bench across the street, where they sit in silence for a moment, shifted to face each other just slightly more than they’re facing forwards. 

“Well… you said that you spend Christmas at formal events and don’t really get on well with your family - and I’m not spending Christmas in my usual way this year, even though I will be seeing family… Ugh, it sounds so stupid now that I’m saying it aloud,” Seungmin trails off, obviously beginning to see some unforeseen doubts or flaws in his mystery question. 

“Nono, go on,” Changbin urges. “Whatever it is, I want to hear what you have to say.” 

“Argh --  _ gah _ ,” Seungmin shakes his head, strengthening his resolve, and then looks across the street as he lets go of the words that were causing him such doubts. “I was going to ask if you’d want to spend some of Christmas with me instead. It could be fun, just chilling somewhere that isn’t in a work setting.” 

Newfound happiness in a perfect shade of hope dawns on Changbin, and he’s sure he must look utterly deranged with how wide he’s smiling. “I’d absolutely love that, Minnie - are you sure?” 

Seungmin huffs, rolling his eyes to the skies. “I wouldn’t have asked if not.” 

“Oh - thank you, thank you so much-” lunging forward, Changbin traps the younger within his arms, squeezing the life out of Seungmin as his voice climbs higher and higher, his last syllables ending on high-pitched squeaks. “This is gonna be such a good Christmas already!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Seungmin acts unbothered, but the pretty pink dusting his cheeks and the way his lips curl upwards despite his fighting it says otherwise. “Glad you think so.” 

Changbin pulls away, the two of them simply enjoying their closeness as they wait, a mere breath away from each other. There’s no rush; eyes simply looking, and taking each other in in the new light they’ve suddenly breached tonight; the unspoken boundary between them finally having been crossed and allowing them to be unapologetically close like this. 

“Hey, did you know I knew of you before we even met?” Changbin breaks the silence, suddenly struck with the urge to come completely clean about things. “I used to spend my lunch breaks in the food court, keeping an eye out for if you’d ever cross into my line of sight. You were beautiful.”

“Were?” Seungmin laughs, poking Changbin’s cheek. “What happened, then?”

“Oh, once I got to know you I realised beautiful could never encompass what you are. You’re ethereal, inside and out.”

Silence settles between the two as Seungmin gapes, mouth opening and closing in surprise as a dark flush settles onto his cheeks.

Seungmin’s phone rings conveniently - good timing - and they startle, pulling away as Seungmin digs around in his coat pockets to find the device; jumping upright as he reads Hyunjin’s name on the screen. 

“Bin, look,” he fumbles to show Changbin the screen before answering, putting the phone on speaker and greeting for the two of them. “Hey, Jin, you’re on speaker and Changbin’s here. How are things going?” 

“ _ I said yes, _ ” Jisung’s voice interrupts before Hyunjin can get a word in edgeways, and Seungmin giggles, eyes lighting up like the northern lights. “ _ Hyunnie proposed to me in the snow! Did you know about this? _ ”

“I did indeed. Congratulations, by the way,” Seungmin’s voice shakes with happiness, and Changbin leans in too, yelling his own congratulations and happy returns down the speaker. 

“Why are you two together in the first place?” Hyunjin asks, and they hear shuffling about on the other end of the phone, and a small  _ oof _ from Jisung, followed by Hyunjin’s small chuckles. 

“Oh, we’re just--” 

“We’re on a date,” Seungmin interrupts Changbin, and Changbin feels his face heat up until his entire body is burning; a fiery furnace at just one simple word. Screams ensue from the other end of the phone.

“This is so cute - your first date on the night we get engaged!”

“Yep - but we’ll leave you two to it; go and do gross newly-engaged couple things,” Seungmin deadpans, and Hyunjin and Jisung laugh together again. Happiness is palpable in the air on this fine Christmas evening.

“Okay, you two go and do gross first-date things! Love you, byee~” their call is terminated by either Hyunjin or Jisung before either Changbin or Seungmin can say their last rounds of congratulations, and the air around them is silent and heavy for a moment. 

“So… a date, huh?” 

“Oh, shut up.” Seungmin shoves at Changbin’s arm as he laughs at the younger, feeling like he’s floating on cloud nine. 

“No, I’m not making fun of you! I’m just… confirming. That this is real,” Changbin reinstates, his hand finding Seungmin’s again. “That I’m not having an insanely good dream right now.”

Seungmin pinches the back of his hand weakly. “Not a dream.” 

“Wow.” Running a hand through his hair, Changbin pretends to faint back onto the backrest of their bench, drawing a small laugh from Seungmin. “This is a happy Christmas indeed.” 

“Oh, hush.” Checking his watch, Seungmin finds the time to be  _ 11:49. _ “It’s almost midnight, we should head back now.” 

Changbin shakes his head, halting Seungmin’s attempts to stand up. “Stay here with me a little longer. Bring Christmas in at my side.”

Seungmin looks at him, amusement breaking through his deadpan expression. “I thought we were spending Christmas together anyway?”

“What better way to start it than like this, surrounded by Christmas lights and sitting next to the object of my affections?” Seungmin’s fully blushing at Changbin’s words now, and he makes a small sound of affirmation from the back of his throat, nodding once. 

“Okay.”

And they do; bringing in Christmas day with gentle touches of hands and perhaps a stolen kiss or two. 

Maybe this will become a tradition for them; London dates on Christmas Eve followed by late nights spent seeing productions and embraces beneath streetlights.

What had originally begun as an arrangement between two opposing shops had kindled what will be a lifetime of romance between two of its employees. A tattoo artist and a suit shop employee… two opposites of the social spectrum, and yet two people who fit together so beautifully. 

They will forever remember this first Christmas spent together. 

  
  
  
  


_ Fin _ .

**Author's Note:**

> hyunsung: we r abt to crash ur date with our happiness  
> seungbin: thank u next


End file.
